North Bergen residents concerned over stability of nearby rocks days after disastrous rock slide
NORTH BERGEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- The rock slide that occurred in North Bergen on Monday was caused by this past weekend's heavy rain, according to the conclusion reached by engineers.
Multiple cars were crushed during the chaotic scene that unfolded Monday, leaving a cloud of concern among residents who live above the site.
Residents living above the site believe increasing traffic is playing a part in the cause the ground the shift.
"There's been a large amount of heavy truck traffic in the area, cutting through all these streets to avoid traffic in other areas," said North Bergen resident Antonio Quinlan. "And there's an increase in amount of vibrations, which is easy enough to feel."
Photos taken inside the Dutchess apartment complex over on River Road show just how dangerous this could have been with rocks landing in the building.
Mud and rocks also covered vehicles parked in the back of the building.
Residents called authorities after the slide and engineers have been accessing this incident ever since.
The disaster has led to the closure of John F. Kennedy Boulevard between 74th and 78th streets, as engineers take time to fully address the problem.
The boulevard is a major thoroughfare for buses heading to and from the Lincoln Tunnel.
For now, they are being diverted through residential streets.
Meanwhile, the cliffs are covered with overgrown vegetation and loose rocks underneath.
While weather is a big factor in causing the ground to give way, some believe heavy traffic in the area is intensifying the problem.
"Just as the bus passes by and hits their brakes and the loud engines, tractor trailers, heavy trucks constantly coming through the neighborhood in the past few years," said Quinlan.
The Hudson County Sheriff's Office continued to patrol the area to make sure nobody goes down the impacted area.
There's no word on when it will reopen.
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